d
allusion, resulting from intimate intercourse from birth. But Clara was
wakeful; she thought over the strange events of the preceding night, and
the more she reflected, the more convinced she was of some plan on the
part of the castellan, for she connected together his looks, his tale,
and the sequel of Magdalena's ghost, as the merry girl would call the
spectral appearance. While engaged in these thoughts, the clock struck
twelve: "the witching hour!" she thought; "I wonder if the illustrious
Don Pedro is walking now!" Just then her sharp ear detected a little
clinking noise on the opposite side of her large, dark chamber; she was
all attention, but not a motion did she make to disturb her sleeping
sister; her arm still encircled her lovingly, her hand clasped
Magdalena's. Gazing into the darkness, there suddenly appeared in the
room a luminous skeleton, frightful enough, truly, to weak nerves; but
Clara was gifted with a calm and fearless spirit, _mens sana in corpore
sano_; and her unspoken thought was--"Ah, phosphorus! pretty well done
that, for the country! it is really worthy of one of our Madrid
conjurers!" Watching intently to see if any other show was forthcoming,
the skeleton as suddenly disappeared as it had come, and she heard
various sepulchral groans and sighs, with a running commentary of the
rattling of chains and jingling of keys. At last this pleasing
interlude, as she termed it, ceased altogether, and in a few moments she
again distinguished that clinking sound, and all was silence in her
chamber. "Well!" thought Clara, "the show is certainly over for the
night, I might as well go to sleep. Very kind, certainly, to provide for
our entertainment! But I am glad Magdalena did not wake."

The following day Clara told her adventure in such a mirthful manner to
her father and sister, that it was impossible to avoid seeing it in a
ludicrous light. However, arrangements were made to stop any further
display of theatricals, if they should be attempted the ensuing night;
and Clara spent some time in her own room, examining the wall opposite
her bed. The result was, that upon raising the tapestry, and carefully
striking every panel, she observed that one gave a hollow sound: she
tried to slide it up, she tried to slide it down, she tried to slide it
sideways, but it was unavailing. Determined not to give it up, she felt
in every part, and at last, after spending several hours in the search,
her perseverance wa